Hero Brit saves tourist after tiger shark attack

A British man has spoken out after rescuing a tourist from a shark attack in Brazil.

Barney Lankester-Owen, 36, who makes primetime documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4, was on a family holiday when he saw a man being attacked off the island of Fernando de Noronha.

See also: Tourist attacked by shark in Gran Canaria

See also: Diver's close encounter with enormous 20ft great white shark

The victim, Marcio de Castro Palma da Silva, 32, had been snorkelling with his wife about 30 metres off shore when the attack occurred.

According to the Daily Mail, Barney said: "I heard his wife screaming 'Help, help' in Portuguese and knew something was seriously wrong.

"I swam out as fast as I could to him and saw just how bad he was when I got to him. It was just like out of a Jaws movie.

"His bone was poking out and his muscle tissue was exposed and there was lots of blood.

"I clicked into a different mode then. I saw that side of that arm was missing and in my head I was rationalising and I found myself asking him if he wanted me to swim around and look for the other part so he'd have a chance of getting it sewn back on.

"He said 'no' and told me he just wanted me to help him ashore. His wife was in massive shock and wasn't in a position to help."

The terrifying incident occurred at a beach called Baia do Sueste, and is the first in Fernando de Noronha in living memory.

The Mirror reports that Barney added: "I got him out of the water as quickly as I could and as we headed to shore he told me it was a massive shark.

"It only hit me afterwards I'd put my life in danger because sharks like blood and there was a whole trail of blood.

"The man it happened to was quite calm and focused. He wasn't screaming or anything like that. He was just trying to hold his arm up with the other hand so the blood didn't drip out so fast."

According to the Express, Marcio, an accountant, said: "I'd like to thank the people who helped me including the British tourist Barney.

"All of those people are the reason why I'm here today and have a second chance in life."